Recipe: Morroccan Lamb with Shiraz Honey Sauce

I was SO getting into a rut with food for the last few weeks, and so I got to thinking: how about Moroccan? After all, those of us who know the Bay Area probably have eaten at Marrakesh in San Francisco, and they (at least used to) have some wonderful dishes, like this one.

This is a recipe right off of allrecipes.com. I like that web site because many of the dishes are easy to prepare. I am no chef. I am barely a cook. It took me no more than 40 minutes start to finish to cook up this little gem. The catch is making sure you start with the right ingredients, and not to fuss about frenching the lamb rack. (Wow that sounds obscene, anyway. How do butchers come up with these terms?)

It’s a nice change of pace, and something easily made at home. Just brush your teeth afterward!

Free Range Chicken?

Every now and again in the U.S. you see “Free Range Chicken” on the menu, or “Range-fed” something-or-other. Just as a point of interest, I have never come across those terms in Europe. Probably because here in Switzerland it’s all “Free Range” and “Range-fed”. Just your local thought of the day. Happy Sunday.

Pancakes!

First, before I write anything else, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope 2010 is the best year of your life, thus far.

Here’s a recipe for pancakes I made for those who can get the ingredients.

Eliot’s Blueberry Apple Banana Pancakes

Ingredients:

One egg
Two cups low-fat milk
One teaspoon baking soda
One teaspoon vanilla
Two tablespoons vegetable oil (these can be omitted to reduce fat)
Two cups flour (all purpose, not self rising)
8 ounces of fresh blueberries (frozen won’t cut it)
One large banana or one and a half smaller bananas, sliced thinly.

For the apples:

two fuji apples
One tablespoon vegetable oil
One teaspoon cinnamon

Heat a pan to medium. Peel and core apple. Slice into relatively thin (but not paper thin) pieces, and cut into smaller bits. Add oil, apples and cinnamon. Fry for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. When finished, remove from pan onto a plate and let cool. Add baking soda and vanilla to an egg and whisk. Add milk and vegetable oil and mix. Add flour while whisking (I use half cup measures). Mix in blueberries and bananas. Add in apples.

Heat a large pan to medium-high, greasing if necessary. Spoon quarter cup pancakes onto pan. Cook about 5 minutes and flip. Wait another minute and remove. Repeat until batter is gone and serve immediately.

Serves 4.